eG Foodblog: chrisamirault - Place Settings

[Chris Amirault]

Before we get to today, I want to share a few snaps from yesterday afternoon's shopping. I was in the Rolfe Square area of Cranston (near the museum) and decided to stop at the Chinese American Market on Park Ave at Rolfe to pick up a few things. (See an outdoor photo earlier in the foodblog.) In the last months they have expanded, and this is now a supermarket, easily the best place for Chinese ingredients in the area.

They have a pretty good selection of fresh produce:

I bought some yard long beans and baby bok choy.

Busy Saturday crowd:

One of several snack wall displays:

A lot of fresh noodles, different kinds of eggs, sausages, you name it:

Along with some rice vinegar, dried mushrooms, and the above mentioned produce, these were the snacks I brought home:

While I was looking for the preserved plums (one of my favorite treats), someone handed me the blue bag in the lower left corner and told me that I should try those because they were good for recovering from "too much drinking." I'm not sure why he thought I needed that! Anyone know what those are? The Pinasugbo appear to be Phillipino candied bananas. Is that right, Stash?

Finally, I stopped here on the way home:

Just kidding!

[Chris Amirault]

Ok, so, this morning, I had two slices of toast from the multigrain bread we got at Mitch's baking demonstration -- absolutely fantastic:

Couldn't pass up that shot, could I?

So, after our nice dog walk with Zeke at Chase Farms in Lincoln RI, we headed down 246 toward North Providence, home of Lucky Garden. Just before we got to Mineral Spring Ave to turn west, we saw this sign:

We had never seen or heard of Hellen Bakery before, and any food sign not in English makes me stop my car instantly. Turns out that this little gem was bursting with fantastic Lebanese and Middle Eastern stuff. I saw things there (Saudi dates, for example) that I've never seen in RI. There were all sorts of sweets:

An excellent fruit and nut selection:

They even had some fresh Persian cucumbers, which I have never seen in RI before (third box):

After a few minutes, the owner asked me if I wanted to see the back. After pondering this for a quarter of a second, I ran behind the counter into the back of the shop. There, he showed me his titanic automatic baking system, which filled a huge room. He told me his was the only one in New England and that he supplied throughout the region. This thing was huge. Here's one side:

Here's a shot from the back -- and these two shots show about 40% of the whole thing!

By now I was starving. Time for dim sum!

[Chris Amirault]

Welcome to Lucky Garden, an unassuming store front restaurant in a strip mall in generally food-barren North Providence RI.

About ten years ago, while I was writing my dissertation for graduate school, I used to work for Stanley Kaplan teaching people how to take standardized tests (GRE, LSAT, SAT, MCAT, GMAT). One night, I was working late, and a student of mine from Hong Kong asked me if I wanted to have some food. I hadn't eaten, so I said sure; he asked if I liked Chinese food, and I said I did. He then got on his cell phone and ordered a series of things in Chinese. "I'll be back in 45 minutes," he said. Um, ok.

About an hour later, he reappeared with a bag of food. I think he had ordered three things: the chow fun with vegetables and pea pod leaves were both excellent, but the chicken steamed with ginger and scallion was transformative. The skin, which I thought I only liked crispy, was redolent with flavor; the meat was dripping with moisture that I couldn't fathom.

"Where in the world did you get this stuff?" I blurted.

Fast forward two weeks. I drag some friends out to North Providence to have the greatest Chinese food of their lives. They were extremely skeptical. (It's hard to compare this to anything, but imagine that your foodie friend tells you that you've got to go to Applebee's to try their new and amazing regional French dishes and you'll have an idea.) As soon as we sit down, we receive two menus filled with Chinese-American classics and a plastic "basket" with white bread and pats of butter. The meal was unmemorable, and I am shamed and confused.

The next time I see my Hong Kong student, I tell him my tale. "Oh, you got the American menu!" he said. They thought you were one of those North Providence people wanting egg rolls and fried rice. Just ask for the other menu!" Remembering that chicken, I sigh and decide that I need to try again. So, that weekend, I drive on out to North Providence again, and just as I'm about to make the case that I don't want the Americanized menus, I hear someone shout, "Chris!" It's my student friend, who wraps his arm around me, tells the waitstaff that I'm wonderful, and orders my entire meal in Chinese while I stand there grinning awkwardly.

From that day on, I have eaten the best Hong Kong food I've ever had pretty much every week or two at Lucky Garden. We're now regulars: Andrea and I had our post-wedding thank you meal there; Bebe's first visit into the world was for dim sum (three days old!) -- and when the servers told us that we really shouldn't have her out until she was a month old, we brought her back to celebrate her first month. This isn't just hometown pride; Lucky Garden is better than any dim sum I've had in Boston or New York, and as good as that I've had in SoCal and London. It's certainly our favorite restaurant; it's probably one of our most favorite places, in fact, in the world, period.

Lucky Garden is run by the Chiu Brothers, both of whom came to RI with a great deal of experience in Hong Kong hotel kitchens:

They have seasonal specials and always have a rotating set of vegetable options:

Everything is made by hand by the extended families of the chef/owners. They were kind enough to allow me back into the kitchen today to show the dim sum prep: wrapping dumplings, rolling dough, and so on:

Here's the place whence magical food comes:

So, with our friends, we put away the following.

Char siu bao (the ethereal dough was Bebe's lunch):

Lotus leaf rice:

We always order extra to have at home; the leaves make them a snap to heat up in the microwave:

Har gow (shrimp dumplings) with chili sauce -- sorry for the lousy photograph:

Shanghai (soup) dumplings, with ginger and red vinegar:

Gow choi fa (garlic chives):

Fried sesame balls with yellow bean paste:

Rice noodles with pork (another lousy photo):

Fried taro with pork and shrimp dumpling:

Pork ton bor (braised pork belly) -- I'm the only one who eats this ambrosia!

For dessert, egg custard tarts -- still warm. They were perfect today:

Dad feeding Bebe lunch:

[snowangel]

Chris, thanks for the dim sum report and reminding me that it has been much too long since I had dim sum. We have two great spots in the Twin Cities for dim sum. What I wonder is why the best dim sum spots here are located in the ugliest strip malls?

We have introduced many of our friends to dim sum, which I think is a very civilized version of a buffet brunch. As I tell my friends, you get to sample all sorts of little bits and things, but you don't have to wait on yourself (my pet peeve about serve-yourself buffets; if I want to wait on myself, I'll do it at home for a lot less money). Another thing I like about dim sum is that you can satisfy almost anyone. From babies with the bready things, to unadventurous eaters, to those of us like me and my family who will try anything (Peter likes chicken feet).

My favorite dim sum was, however, in Singapore. It was in a gigantic restaurant -- more like a large arena. There must have been able to seat 1,000 people. I can't imagine how large the kitchen was, but we were seated fairly near the kitchen door. Made for a noisy eating experience, but let me tell you, sitting near the kitchen door is the place to be.

Must have dim sum. Soon.

[mizducky]

Oy. I am now extremely conscious of the fact that I haven't eaten lunch yet.

(Hmmmm ... where can I go get some dim sum real fast? ... )

[Mooshmouse]

The Pinasugbo appear to be Phillipino candied bananas.

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Pinasugbo is, indeed, banana brittle or fritters native to the province of Negros Occidental in the central part of the Philippines. They're made from slices of dried, thinly sliced Filipino bananas drizzled with caramel and sprinkled with sesame seeds; other varieties use sweet potato or coconut. Sticky as all get out, murder on dental work but still wonderfully delicious. One of my favourite Filipino snack foods. Time to go out and buy some for my own cupboard.

A wonderful blog, Chris, showcasing an eclectic dining week and a lovely family. Great job!

Edited October 16, 2005 by Mooshmouse (log)

[Pan]

Chris, thanks for the dim sum report and reminding me that it has been much too long since I had dim sum.  We have two great spots in the Twin Cities for dim sum.  What I wonder is why the best dim sum spots here are located in the ugliest strip malls?

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I suppose rent is cheaper there. And though it's definitely considered classy for a dim sum eating hall to be sumptuous and beautiful, the thing patrons care about most is the food, so if they get a reputation for excellence among the Chinese community in the area, it doesn't matter much if the place is in an ugly, out of the way part of town; they will still pack the place.

I'm getting a favorite dish -- Fish and Sour Cabbage in a Little Hot Wok -- from my local branch of Grand Sichuan (delivery will arrive soon), so I don't feel deprived.

Great stuff from both the eating hall and the bakery, Chris. Did you check whether the Lebanese bakery carries Iranian pistachios? I like Turkish ones, too, but to my palate, the Iranian ones have the most delicious, complex flavor, and they're certainly a revelation to anyone who's never had anything but average-quality California pistachios. There were a few years when relations between the US and Iran, though unofficial, were better after US sanctions were relaxed under the Clinton Administration, and at that time, I was able to get Iranian pistachios at Dowel, my local Bangladeshi spices and sundries store, as well as the famous Kalustyan's in "Curry Hill." Now, they're rare again. The folks at Dowel explained that, since Iranian airliners and ships are not permitted entry to the US, foodstuffs have to be imported to Canada and reimported to the US, adding to the hassle and expense (as a result, they haven't had them for some years now). But if you can get them and don't have personal moral or political reasons not to buy them, they are truly a great nut!

[LindaK]

Chris, next time a Chinese friend of mine makes a trip to Providence to buy furniture from his favorite antique dealer, I'm going to tag along and take up your Lucky Garden challenge! It looks like a good bet if your pictures are to be believed. Everything looked familiar but the pork belly--was that on a dim sum cart or did you order it off the menu?

[Anna N]

Have been following your blog with interest and fascination but had nothing to add until now! Bear with me while I get to the point. On the weekend I snagged a couple of dozen old copies of Bon Appetit and Gourmet and have been devouring them ever since. In the October 1996 issue of Gourmet in a section titled "Restaurant Chefs Cook at Home", Al Forno husband and wife chefs contributed a recipe for Sea Scallops in Dancing Salt with Warm Potato Salad. Now doesn't that sound delightful? Thought you might enjoy this titbit about the restaurant. Carry on blogging - it's just great.

[Priscilla]

Chris this is a wonderful chronicle. What a lot of hard work, not only in what you've shown us in your blog, but in what you do for your family every day! And SO worth it, I daresay!

I remember Pawtucket RI on the Mr. Potato Head of my childhood. Visiting friends years ago in Lincoln RI I realized that that was the name on my Cross pen! RI, little but mighty.

Your blonde wood table & chairs are very nice -- I love the shape of the chair backs. Maybe before you wrap up you could address briefly incorporating vintage stuff into daily, serious cooking ... as for your Ice-O-Mat, if it ever breaks on you I have its minty-mint twin. However the Blue Heaven saucer which I'd been using as a spoonrest for 20 years finally chipped and had to go, just a few weeks ago.

[purplewiz]

Char siu bao (the ethereal dough was Bebe's lunch):

I'm going to cry. Really. Gads, they look SO good.

Lotus leaf rice:

This brings back memories of a Chinese place in Mountain View, CA whose name I've temporarily forgotten and will probably remember the minute I hit Add Reply, one of the few good places open late on Sundays. When we were getting back from weekend trips we'd drop in there on the way home for lotus leaf fried rice - it was a perfect supper.

Rice noodles with pork (another lousy photo):

Another memory: we used to use these to torture people who were new to using chopsticks . They're among my favorites, probably partially because I learned the technique early.

Thanks for sharing your dim sum with us, even though I'm insanely jealous. The nearest dim sum to here is not very near at all. I'm glad you all had such a fantastic meal!

Marcia.

[rjwong]

From that day on, I have eaten the best Hong Kong food I've ever had pretty much every week or two at Lucky Garden. We're now regulars: Andrea and I had our post-wedding thank you meal there; Bebe's first visit into the world was for dim sum (three days old!) -- and when the servers told us that we really shouldn't have her out until she was a month old, we brought her back to celebrate her first month. This isn't just hometown pride; Lucky Garden is better than any dim sum I've had in Boston or New York, and as good as that I've had in SoCal and London. It's certainly our favorite restaurant; it's probably one of our most favorite places, in fact, in the world, period.

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Chris, the dim sum looks pretty good. Do you prefer the char siu bao steamed or baked? Personally, I like mine steamed, but with a smooth top, not broken.

Have you tried CBS Restaurant or Empress Pavilion in downtown LA (there are threads posted in the CA forum)? I know you posted about the Mayflower BBQ Seafood Restaurant. I would like your take on Lucky Garden, in comparison to specific LA restaurants. If you haven't tried those places I named, then come on out to LA. I'll treat! (that's you, singular)

You're left-handed also, ehh? Good on you!

[ludja]

...

This brings back memories of a Chinese place in Mountain View, CA whose name I've temporarily forgotten and will probably remember the minute I hit Add Reply, one of the few good places open late on Sundays. When we were getting back from weekend trips we'd drop in there on the way home for lotus leaf fried rice - it was a perfect supper.

...

Marcia.

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Hmmm, if you can recall any other details re: location or part of the name I'd be interested, purplewiz! I live nearby to Mountain View but usually end up near or in SF for Chinese restaurants.

Thanks so much for the great blog, Chris!

[Chris Amirault]

A bit late getting this up. We had a surprise guest, a dog-walking friend who happened by this afternoon. So I made a bit more of dinner than I had planned.

First, the evening's drink, a nod to Marlene and Dave the Cook: G&T with a limoncino grappa slug added:

Tonight I wanted to make more Chinese food, some simple stuff that's typical for an evening meal here. I used the yard long beans I got yesterday, fine specimens indeed:

Cut them into 2" lengths and blanched them:

Soaked some mushrooms (lousy photo):

Washed that fine baby bok choy:

Then I got some Thai pork sausage out of the freezer that I made last week:

The meez for the bok choy and mushroom was basically just minced garlic, some schmaltz (chicken fat), and some stock with salt and corn starch. The meez for the beans and sausage meat was a bit more involved: ginger, shaoxing, dark soy, little stock, and chili bean sauce. I really love that fermented bean!

Here's my wok. The seasoning doesn't show very well, but I am proud of this wok's hei:

I didn't need to use my propane Patio Wok -- that thing is seriously hot! -- since these dishes don't really require high heat. First the bok choy. I had made some fine chicken stock that had a good dose of fat atop it:

Here's the schmaltz in the wok:

Brown gently a whole lot of garlic:

In with the bok choy:

After they pick up a little hei, in with the mushrooms, then finish with the stock:

Quickly, to the beans! Ginger:

Cook the sausage meat through:

Remove the meat and add the yard long beans:

Then add the meat and the sauce mixture:

Dinner!

Andrea had a Magic Hat that our guest brought; he and I had a reisling that Andrea got at the NH state line liquor store. Bebe enjoyed the jasmine rice and some carrots.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Bebe enjoyed the jasmine rice and some carrots.

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I can just barely make out her feet in the top right of the picture .. and I'll just bet that the jasmine rice and carrots will be only an appetizer for a tiny taste of this delicious meal! Bravo, Andrea and Chris on this tasty blog (in all senses!) ...

[Pan]

I'm sure he can speak for himself, but it looks to me like hzrt8w would be proud of you! (For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, look at this list of links to hzrt8w's Chinese Food Pictorials in the China forum.)

[Chris Amirault]

Thanks again to everyone who wrote about today's events. I wanted to reply to a few specific questions:

Great stuff from both the eating hall and the bakery, Chris. Did you check whether the Lebanese bakery carries Iranian pistachios?

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No, I didn't check -- but I remember a thread on this subject recently (though I'm too shagged to find it now). I will for sure in the future. Thanks for the tip!

Everything looked familiar but the pork belly--was that on a dim sum cart or did you order it off the menu?

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Lucky Garden doesn't have carts -- it's too small a place. Instead, there are slips listing all the dim sum offerings, and you write down what you want. Then it comes out of the kitchen just out of the wok, steamer, or whatever. I've come to prefer this method.

Have been following your blog with interest and fascination but had nothing to add until now!  Bear with me while I get to the point.  On the weekend I snagged a couple of dozen old copies of Bon Appetit and Gourmet and have been devouring them ever since.  In the October 1996 issue of Gourmet in a section titled "Restaurant Chefs Cook at Home", Al Forno husband and wife chefs contributed a recipe for Sea Scallops in Dancing Salt with Warm Potato Salad.  Now doesn't that sound delightful?  Thought you might enjoy this titbit about the restaurant.  Carry on blogging - it's just great.

←

Thanks, Anna -- I appreciate it. Gourmet also did a spread several years ago on Lucky's, the first sister restaurant to Al Forno in the building you saw above. Lucky's was more of a bistro, and they had some great things, including dirty steak (cooked directly on the wood grill coals), a swell cassoulet, and some brined pork chops that were out of this world. That pork chop recipe appeared in that article, but now I can't find it....

Your blonde wood table & chairs are very nice -- I love the shape of the chair backs.  Maybe before you wrap up you could address briefly incorporating vintage stuff into daily, serious cooking ... as for your Ice-O-Mat, if it ever breaks on you I have its minty-mint twin.  However the Blue Heaven saucer which I'd been using as a spoonrest for 20 years finally chipped and had to go, just a few weeks ago.

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Thanks for asking about this, Priscilla. Andrea and I share a real interest in a very particular period (mid-century modern) and related other elements that happen to share design styles with some very functional dinnerware, kitchen equipment, and so on. Our everyday dishware is, as you mention, Blue Heaven; our drinkware is also from that period. A lot of the other items in the kitchen -- ice crusher, juicer, bread box, ice buckets, etc. -- are also from that period. In addition, basically all of our furtniture is the real deal: Heywood Wakefield, some Eames chairs, a George Nelson bubble lamp, that sort of thing. Some people see our stuff and think it's leftover from college, but most folks realize what we've got.

As for incorporating it into my cooking, I'm not sure how to answer that. The stuff we have we use, but most of the stuff I use to cook -- my knives, pans, that sort of thing -- isn't really vintage.

Chris, the dim sum looks pretty good. Do you prefer the char siu bao steamed or baked? Personally, I like mine steamed, but with a smooth top, not broken.

Have you tried CBS Restaurant or Empress Pavilion in downtown LA (there are threads posted in the CA forum)? I know you posted about the Mayflower BBQ Seafood Restaurant. I would like your take on Lucky Garden, in comparison to specific LA restaurants. If you haven't tried those places I named, then come on out to LA. I'll treat! (that's you, singular)

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Thanks for the offer! Yes, I like them steamed, but with a broken top. As for LA Chinese, I had a great dim sum meal at Mission 261, which I wrote about here. That's also where my comments about Mayflower are. We have a friend in LA, so we do get out there every year or so; I'll keep your kind offer in mind!

[Chris Amirault]

Man, I'm pooped! I just finished making a curried squash and lamb soup for our staff meeting tomorrow night, and it's time for bed. Quick recipe for that, which I made up this evening: large onion, diced, sauteed in ghee until nearly brown; garlic and ginger minced and tossed in for a bit; toast some curry powder (I used Penzey's vindaloo for this), cumin, and three cinnamon sticks; few cups of that chicken stock; two medium butternut squashes, roughly chopped, cooked until tender; remove the cinnamon and puree the stuff; salt, pepper, and the cubed (leftover!) roast lamb.

So, now, it's time for bed. G'night!

[Swisskaese]

Great blog.

I am really salivating over the dim sum. This is one of the few things I miss since I starting keeping Kosher. Yes, I have had vegetarian and Kosher dim sum, but it is not the same. I miss the shrimp dumplings.

[Chris Amirault]

Good morning -- two in a row, actually! At a preschool, the first sunny day after two weeks of rain and clouds is quite wonderful, let me tell you!

Didn't have a chance to do too much this morning, but I did get out back to snap a couple of photographs of our yard, which is an interesting example of a Providence back yard. First, here's the grape arbor that covers a huge section of the yard:

Many houses in several neighborhoods (Fox Point, Washington Park [where we live], Silver Lake, Mount Pleasant) have grape arbors that are decades old. Most of them were planted by Portuguese and Italian folks who wanted to have a source for wine grapes. I don't know the varietal, but they smell and taste like concord grapes to my untutored palate.

Every late summer, a very old Portuguese couple comes by to check out the progress of our grapes, and then later in the early fall, they come by with big PVC buckets and a wagon to collect grapes. About three weeks later, a Gallo burgundy jug filled with fermenting wine appears at our back door. If this were a perfect world, that would be a magical elixir; sadly, it's pretty much undrinkable for us. Still, pretty great to have the locals using up some of those grapes!

Second, here's our little herb garden.

Most of the basics are here: sage, thyme, tarragon, parsley, mint. We also have two very healthy and productive Thai basil plants, which we've been harvesting for months.

So what makes this herb garden worth noting in a foodblog about Providence? Well, the garden and all of the grass in the back yard and on the side of the house were installed soon after we bought the house -- after we removed the eight inches of concrete that a previous owner had poured all over the lot. I got pretty good at demo saws and jackhammers, let me tell you!

Coming soon: a meditation on Whole Foods, with illustrations.

[Chris Amirault]

Just got back from a quick trip to Whole Foods:

I don't know what it is exactly, but I have a very ambivalent relation to this place.

They have a great produce section, in which I can usually find anything I want (no arugula today, though ). But they rarely have extensive seasonal local offerings (though today I got a bag of crisp empire apples from VT).

They have a very good seafood selection, often perfectly fresh, and have even begun carrying whole fish (snapper, today). But it is unbelievably expensive at times (tonight, $15.99 per lb for the scallops I'm making for dinner).

Their meat section is pretty remarkable year-round, and they've even started selling some dry-aged beef; in addition, the butchers have been very helpful to me, selling me sausage casings and pork butt from the back. But certain things just are never available (pork fat, chicken feet).

Their dairy and cheese section is fantastic -- I just got a chunk of mezzo secco artisanal cheddar on sale. But why do they wrap all of it in plastic?

You get the idea. I feel like a bratty adolescent, with Whole Foods playing the role of a really great parent. I'm begrudgingly grateful for how great the store is, sure, but I resent the power they have and wish that they'd do everything exactly the way I want. As a result, every little thing that's off drives me to tantrum.

My mishegas....

[Priscilla]

Your blonde wood table & chairs are very nice -- I love the shape of the chair backs.  Maybe before you wrap up you could address briefly incorporating vintage stuff into daily, serious cooking ... as for your Ice-O-Mat, if it ever breaks on you I have its minty-mint twin.  However the Blue Heaven saucer which I'd been using as a spoonrest for 20 years finally chipped and had to go, just a few weeks ago.

←

Thanks for asking about this, Priscilla. Andrea and I share a real interest in a very particular period (mid-century modern) and related other elements that happen to share design styles with some very functional dinnerware, kitchen equipment, and so on. Our everyday dishware is, as you mention, Blue Heaven; our drinkware is also from that period. A lot of the other items in the kitchen -- ice crusher, juicer, bread box, ice buckets, etc. -- are also from that period. In addition, basically all of our furtniture is the real deal: Heywood Wakefield, some Eames chairs, a George Nelson bubble lamp, that sort of thing. Some people see our stuff and think it's leftover from college, but most folks realize what we've got.

As for incorporating it into my cooking, I'm not sure how to answer that. The stuff we have we use, but most of the stuff I use to cook -- my knives, pans, that sort of thing -- isn't really vintage.

The only vintage cooking gear that can take the hard use my normal cooking dishes out (!) is old enameled cast-iron Descoware from the 1950s and 60s. I have several pieces, including a skillet that my Mom bought when she got married in 1955 and passed along to me some years ago. And after I'd had it a while already my Mom found the skillet's matching lid in a thrift shop -- it'd never had a lid of its own all those years.

I have added in a few more Descoware pieces as they have crossed my purview -- they really perform. I especially like the integral handles on the oven lids -- no Le Creuset-like breakage problem. And the heavy lids on the skillets are so great at controlling evaporation during braising.

Descoware has an old pleasantly dull lemony-buttery yellow that would perfectly complement your tile and KitchenAid and so forth. Just a thought from someone who spends a little too much time contemplating such things.

In re your grapes, ever tried to make preserves with some? What about dolma with the leaves?

[Chris Amirault]

The only vintage cooking gear that can take the hard use my normal cooking dishes out (!) is old enameled cast-iron Descoware from the 1950s and 60s. 

In re your grapes, ever tried to make preserves with some?  What about dolma with the leaves?

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Yeah, I found a great piece of sunburst Descoware at a yard sale a few months ago, but it had really crazy damage to the enamel on the bottom, a couple of deep gouges. After a couple of hours trying to figure out what to do, I had to toss it.

Haven't tried dolma yet with the leaves, but... preserves? With the grapes? That would require canning, right? Isn't that a really scary thing?

[Priscilla]

The only vintage cooking gear that can take the hard use my normal cooking dishes out (!) is old enameled cast-iron Descoware from the 1950s and 60s. 

In re your grapes, ever tried to make preserves with some?  What about dolma with the leaves?

←

Yeah, I found a great piece of sunburst Descoware at a yard sale a few months ago, but it had really crazy damage to the enamel on the bottom, a couple of deep gouges. After a couple of hours trying to figure out what to do, I had to toss it.

Haven't tried dolma yet with the leaves, but... preserves? With the grapes? That would require canning, right? Isn't that a really scary thing?

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Nah. A little fussy-fiddly, but sometimes, often, the results are worth it, esp. if your grapes are an intensely flavorful variety like Concord, as you suspect.

Also with the grape leaves, Elizabeth David (ferget which book it's in at the moment) has a method for using them to line a cooking vessel for regular old mushrooms that end up tasting almost like wild mushrooms, due to said leaves. So good.

EBay is a good source of Descoware, I think. Gouges are fatal, it's true, but mere discoloration is not.

[Chris Amirault]

Nah.  A little fussy-fiddly, but sometimes, often, the results are worth it, esp. if your grapes are an intensely flavorful variety like Concord, as you suspect.

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Sounds like canning might make a good cook-off, eh?